George Garton joins Bears from Sussex

Warwickshire County Cricket Club are delighted to announce the signing of England international fast bowler George Garton.

The 26-year-old arrives from Sussex having been with his boyhood club since the U10s age group.

A formidable left-arm quick, Garton will play a key role in the Bears’ Vitality Blast campaign although the Brighton native will still have the option to play red ball cricket.

Garton joins with a wealth of franchise experience having played in the IPL, Big Bash, SA20, and Abu Dhabi T10, alongside his domestic opportunities with Sussex and Southern Brave in The Hundred.

Having made his senior England debut in January 2022 against the West Indies in Bridgetown, Garton, represented England Under-19s in the 2016 World Cup in Bangladesh, bringing 72 wickets from 81 games in the short format.

With the red ball, Garton has made 26 first-class appearances, taking 55 wickets, including a dismissal with his first ball against Leeds/Bradford MCCU at Hove.

“I am delighted to be joining the Bears and I have the utmost respect for the Club and its history,” said Garton. “The Club has a tremendous record of winning trophies and I hope to contribute to winning more of them.

“There is a strong playing squad and respected group of coaches at Edgbaston and I am particularly keen to work with Mark Robinson having known him for a long time.

“I feel my best years as a player are ahead of me and I retain huge ambitions in the game. I can’t wait to get started ahead of the 2024 season.”

Following a short break, Garton will join up with the rest of the squad for pre-season testing in early November, before jetting off to the Middle East to play in the seventh season of the Abu Dhabi T10 alongside Moeen Ali for the Morrisville Samp Army.

First Team Coach Mark Robinson, said: “When someone asks you would you be interested in signing a bowler who can bowl 85mph plus, is one of the best fielders in the country and is a destructive batter, the answer wasn’t hard to give.

“I knew George as a young player working his way through the youth squads and he was always known as a player of huge potential. As a left armer, he will give us variety in our attack, becoming another player who can change a game at any moment with either bat, ball or in the field.

“George is very driven, hugely competitive and comes to us at the right time in a mental place determined to get back into the England team.

“At the moment George wants to focus on white ball cricket, but the door will always be open for him to return to the red ball format.”